Lynne Spears testified in a Los Angeles court on Friday, Oct. 26 to recount her famous daughter Britney Spears' darkest days in 2007 and 2008 -- when the pop star, now 31, had cut off ties from her family and former team, and had hired Sam Lutfi as her manager.

In the high-profile civil case, Lutfi is suing for unpaid compensation during the period in question; he is also suing Lynne for defamation, thanks to Lynne's 2008 memoir, "Through the Storm," in which she accused Lutfi of drugging the "Toxic" singer and keeping her away from the family.

On the stands, Lynne got emotional and teary as she claimed that Lutfi had said he'd unplugged Britney's house phone, hidden her cell phone, and put ground-up pills in her food.

"Those are his exact words," Lynne said. Calling Lutfi a "predator" and "puppet master" who "hovered over my daughter and tried to insert himself in every aspect of her life," Lynne admitted to stopped short of calling the police.

"I was very worried. I kept trying to get her away from there ... I didn't know what to do."

Lynne (who is also mother to daughter Jamie Lynn and son Bryan) was home in Kentwood, La. when she received a call from Lufti on Jan. 3, 2008 -- an infamous night when Britney was transported to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.